Washington State University Chef Jamie Callison and his team edged out the student Dream Team for the second year in a row in a tight Iron Chef WSU competition that featured “secret” ingredients bacon, sweet potatoes and kiwi fruit.
Callison, executive chef for WSU’s School of Hospitality and Business Management, won the second annual competition this past weekend with 521 points. Approximately 700 people attended the Mom’s Weekend event at the Gladish Community Center.
Callison’s menu included a ginger ale-battered sweet potato dish with a variety of sauces, a deconstructed bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich using bacon, Cougar cheese, crackers and lettuce from the WSU organic garden, and a kiwi brioche bread pudding for dessert.
The Dream Team, comprised of four WSU students led by Jessica Pickett, used the secret ingredients to create a sweet potato curry soup with crème fraiche and sweet potato fries, and a deconstructed bacon ravioli with ricotta cheese and alfredo sauce. The students also developed a trio of kiwi desserts – a kiwi-champagne shooter, kiwi-pineapple ice cream, and a vanilla cookie spoon with chocolate, kiwi chunks and raspberry reduction.
Judges scored each team’s creations based on taste, flavor, presentation and use of the secret ingredients as well as organization and sanitation.
